St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
If you or your child has experienced sexual abuse by staff while detained at the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center in Illinois—even if it was years ago—you have legal rights and options for holding the responsible parties accountable.
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- Located in Belleville, Illinois, the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center is a juvenile detention facility run by St. Clair County and overseen by the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice, or IDJJ.
- Numerous lawsuits and previous IDJJ inspection reports have identified problems with sexual abuse, isolation, cleanliness, and staffing at the St. Clair facility.
- If you or a loved one has experienced sexual abuse while detained at the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center, you have rights and legal options for seeking justice.
The St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center in Illinois has been the subject of numerous investigations and lawsuits over alleged sexual abuse, overuse of solitary confinement, and other issues. Juvenile detention center sexual abuse in Illinois has long been an issue, with the state consistently having some of the highest rates of sexual victimization of minor inmates nationwide.
Sexual abuse can have a devastating lifelong impact on survivors, especially if they were children when the abuse occurred. For this reason, it’s crucial to advocate for survivors and hold the perpetrators and enablers of abuse accountable. To learn more about your legal rights and options, Helping Survivors can connect you with our experienced legal partners for a free consultation.
What is the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center?
The St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center is a 38-bed facility in Belleville, Illinois, that houses minor offenders ages 10 to 16. During a 2025 inspection of the facility, the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice found it noncompliant in several areas, including discipline, sanitation, medical care, and education. The facility also has a history of staffing issues, driven by a high turnover rate.
According to the 2025 IDJJ inspection report, the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center has a continued issue with inappropriate uses of room confinement, with inspectors stating that much of the youth experience at the facility is “isolated.” There were 1,003 confinements in June 2024 alone due to staffing limitations.
Additionally, although the facility has recently addressed systemic failures to conduct victimization assessments within 72 hours of a youth’s arrival, it has still not pursued a formal audit under the Prison Rape Elimination Act, or PREA.
- What is the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center?
- Sexual Abuse Allegations at St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center
- How Did Sexual Abuse Occur at St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center?
- Rights and Options for Survivors of St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse
- If you are not sure where to turn, RAINN can help.
- Illinois Laws on Sexual Abuse
- Types of Compensation for Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse Cases
- Contact Helping Survivors for Support and Legal Resources
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Sexual Abuse Allegations at St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center
Several lawsuits have been filed regarding abuse at the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center over the past two decades.
In 2007, a lawsuit alleging abuse by a guard at the facility settled for $900,000. According to the lawsuit, the victim was placed at the facility in 2005 at age 15 and was inappropriately touched several times by guard Thomas O’Donnell Jr., who later confessed to the assault on tape. Attorneys argued that O’Donnell should have been fired long before this incident for behavioral issues. However, they noted that he is the son of a former local judge and alleged his political connections protected him.
Shortly after the O’Donnell lawsuit, a separate juvenile detention sexual abuse suit was filed on behalf of two 17-year-old girls, both of whom alleged guard Richard Jenkins sexually abused them while held at the St. Clair facility.
Another lawsuit was filed by a victim who alleged he was subjected to harassment and solitary confinement for six months after he was placed at the facility in 2015 at age 17. He further alleged the facility failed to treat his mental health problems while in custody.
How Did Sexual Abuse Occur at St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center?
Various conditions at juvenile detention centers can contribute to a higher rate of abuse by staff, including guards, counselors, and others. Lack of oversight, isolation of inmates, and unabated staff misconduct can enable further abuse, as can challenges in reporting abuse.
According to a 2018 national survey conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics, 9.6% of youth inmate respondents in Illinois juvenile detention facilities reported experiencing sexual victimization in custody—roughly 35% higher than the national average.
While the survey found rates had declined in both Illinois and across the country, Illinois still had the sixth-highest percentage of youth in juvenile facilities reporting sexual victimization in the country. Additionally, a greater percentage of the youths held in facilities with 51 or more inmates reported staff sexual misconduct than in smaller facilities with 10 to 25 inmates.
Rights and Options for Survivors of St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse
Filing a Complaint with Oversight Agencies
If you’ve experienced sexual abuse while detained at an Illinois juvenile detention facility, you have several options for reporting the abuse and holding the responsible parties accountable.
To file a complaint with the facility’s oversight agencies, you can contact the IDJJ, the Department of Children and Family Services, or the federal Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
Reporting to Law Enforcement
Any victim of juvenile detention center sexual abuse can report the abuse to a local police agency over the phone or by visiting the station in person. Most police departments have officers trained to interact with victims of sexual assault.
Filing a Civil Lawsuit
Survivors of juvenile detention abuse may be eligible to pursue civil lawsuits against the perpetrators and enablers of the abuse even years or decades after the abuse occurred. In a civil juvenile detention center sexual abuse lawsuit, you may be able to hold the operating agencies of the facility liable for negligence, failure to supervise, and civil rights violations.
An attorney can assist with drafting, filing, and litigating a lawsuit. Contact Helping Survivors to get connected with an attorney for a free case evaluation.
If You Are Not Sure Where To Turn, RAINN Can Help.
Call 800-656-HOPE (4673) to talk confidentially with a trained professional from RAINN. They can put you in touch with local resources and organizations that can help in your healing journey.
If you want to speak to a lawyer about your experience, Helping Survivors can connect you with one.
Have You Been Abused at a Juvenile Detention Center?
If you or a loved one has suffered sexual abuse while in a juvenile detention center, you have the right to seek justice. Our team of experienced attorneys is here to provide you with the legal support and guidance you deserve.
Illinois Laws on Sexual Abuse
In Illinois, there is no statute of limitations for civil lawsuits for any childhood sexual abuse that occurred on or after January 1, 2014. Survivors who experienced child sexual abuse in Illinois before 2014 have until their 38th birthday or 20 years after they discover the injury—whichever is later—to file civil claims.
Types of Compensation for Juvenile Detention Sex Abuse Cases
Juvenile detention center sexual abuse lawsuits can allow survivors to recover monetary damages for medical expenses, pain, suffering, emotional distress, and more. Compensation can vary based on the severity, nature, duration, and frequency of the abuse, as well as the long-term effects on the victim. Courts may also award punitive damages if the defendant’s conduct was particularly egregious or negligent. However, results are not guaranteed.
Contact Helping Survivors for Support and Legal Resources
If you or a loved one survived abuse while detained at the St. Clair County Juvenile Detention Center, you have legal rights and options for seeking accountability and compensation.
At Helping Survivors, we connect individuals affected by sexual abuse with compassionate, trauma-informed legal support. Our partner law firms work with survivors to file civil lawsuits against the individuals and institutions that perpetrated and enabled abuse to compensate victims for their losses.
Contact Helping Survivors today to learn more about your rights and options.
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